Croatia’s captain Luka Modric expressed deep disappointment following his team’s heaviest defeat in Nations League history, a 7-0 loss to England on Saturday in Rijeka. The 41-year-old midfielder, who earned his 205th international cap during the match, described the result as a “catastrophic night” and admitted feeling “ashamed” for the first time in his two-decade career.

Croatia’s performance was marked by a lack of intensity and cohesion, with Modric noting the team appeared as if they had “four or five players less” on the field. He criticized the side’s failure to compete physically and mentally, highlighting a deficit in duels, aggression, and unity. Modric, a seasoned veteran and former Real Madrid star, was substituted in the 57th minute as Croatia trailed 5-0, visibly affected by the scale of the defeat.

England dominated the match with goals from Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon, Morgan Rogers, and two each from Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka. The result leaves Croatia three points behind England in their Nations League group, casting doubt on their chances of advancing to next year’s quarter-finals.

Croatian head coach Slaven Bilic, who recently resumed his role, described the outcome as “unforgivable” and acknowledged that the responsibility lies with him. Bilic admitted that it was hard to imagine England inflicting such a heavy defeat on a side like Estonia, emphasizing the severity of Croatia’s performance. Despite the setback, he called for resilience ahead of their next match.

Croatia will face Spain, the reigning World Cup champions, in Split on Sunday. Modric called on his teammates to regroup and demonstrate pride and determination after the humiliating loss. “We need to pull ourselves together, stay together, as a new difficult game awaits us,” he said, underscoring the importance of response and unity going forward.

Bilic cautioned against overconfidence but stressed the need for a stronger showing against Spain. “I’m talking nonsense saying we will beat Spain, but we need to show a brave and good Croatia,” he remarked, reflecting on the challenge ahead as the team seeks to restore its reputation.